Arthritis, osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis

This is a reply to someone who said that their neck felt worse after treatment.

I am really sorry to hear that your neck is feeling worse. When arthritis is present it is very hard to know how much treatment to give. In an effort to give value for money and not prolong the number of sessions, we sometimes over treat. The result can be soreness in the short term but hopefully more freedom of movement in the long term. The same applies to the shoulder. Osteoarthritis in the neck results from a loss of disc height and limited movement of the facet or gliding joints. If the facets do not move for a long time the neck starts to form osteophytes or new spurs of bone. They act like splints to limit the movement. You cannot see them except under x-ray. You need to keep your neck as mobile as possible and look at nutritional factors, including supplements. If I was suffering myself I would keep on stretching as best I can by trying to reach each shoulder with my chin and by a sort of chicken move, gliding the head back and forwards. This is active therapy. Passive therapy is to allow someone else to move the head and neck, but of course this can be painful in the short term.

Osteo means bone, -arthros means joint, -itis means inflammation.
Osteo-arthritis is essentially poor nutrition to a joint that might have been damaged by an accident, twisting or other trauma. It occurs more in weight bearing joints like the knees and the last joint in the fingers.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that flares up more often under times of stress. It is a sign of an over active immune system. A number of factors can affect the immune system:

1. Stress, anxiety, uncertainty, major shock, sudden news or change of circumstances
2. Previous exposure to allergens as a child
3. Food intolerances or intolerance to bee stings, cosmetics, chemicals
4. Slow recovery from a viral illness

Rheumatoid conditions tend to affect synovial joints on both sides of the body. Some people find a degree of relief from avoiding common allergens or stimulants like shellfish, dairy, wheat, eggs or soya, caffeine, anaesthetics. It is best not to remove something from your diet unless you are sure that you are reacting to it. Loss of essential nutrients and malnutrition might be the result.
Exploring triggers in childhood might help.

Some food supplements or anti-inflammatory herbs might help. Supergest and probiodaily from Higher Nature help digestion. Astaxanthin and blackcurrant is a supplement with an anti-inflammatory action.
If I have treated someone with inflammation from sciatica for instance, I suggest that they take 1 or 2 astaxanthin a day to calm down the inflammation. Cholesterol containing plaque in the arteries could be the result of inflammation. Astaxanthin comes from the algae that flamingos eat. They obviously have a strong protection against the effects of the sun. Glucosamine is an ingredient found in the fluid in the joints. Some forms like glucosamine sulphate are poorly absorbed. Glucosamine hydrochloride is much better absorbed. Chondroitin is a large molecule that sometimes helps to work with glucosamine. One person I know found that chondroitin with manganese in it helped him. Good oils in the diet also help to repair the body. MSM is a supplement that contains sulphur. Sulphur bonds to amino acids to make quality proteins. MSM acts to repair collagen the proteins that glue the body together. Incidently be careful about steroid injections. They dramatically cut inflammation inside joint capsules, but interfere with collagen production in the tendons.